California has a dangerous new bill aimed at censoring independent journalists like Nick Shirley
By Easton Martin | April 14, 2026
California Assembly Bill 2624 successfully moved through the Assembly Judiciary Committee to establish a new legal framework for the privacy of immigration service workers.
Assemblymember Mia Bonta authored the proposal to address a rise in “harassment and threats of violence” directed at staff members within these organizations. The legislation prohibits the distribution of personal information or visual media that could lead to imminent harm against employees or volunteers.
Assemblymember Carl DeMaio says that the bill specifically targets the activities of independent journalists who record at taxpayer funded facilities. The law will allow government-funded groups to avoid public scrutiny by forcing the removal of investigative footage from the internet. The act introduces heavy financial consequences including civil penalties of ten thousand dollars for each violation of the privacy standards.
Individuals who refuse to comply with content takedown orders also face the possibility of imprisonment under the current language of the bill. State legislators are now weighing these safety measures against the existing rights of citizens to document activities in public spaces.
